Report: $9775 Discount Being Offered on 2012 Nissan Leaf

If you're in the market for a 2012 Nissan Leaf, now be the best time to pick one up. It seems that some dealerships are offering nearly $10,000 off the all-electric car.

The cash back deal comes from Nissan's finance arm, Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation. California-Bay-Area dealership Nissan Sunnyvale lists 30 different Leafs on which there is a "Manufacturer Offer" of $9775 provided by NMAC. Similar deals are going on in other "key" Leaf sales states, too – Nissan of Manhattan in New York City is offering $9075 from NMAC. The customer bonus offer is only valid from the first of December to the second of January. According to Green Car Reports, who spotted the huge discount, the offer applies to lease deals only.

It's not terribly surprising that Nissan is hoping to drum up more Leaf sales. CEO Carlos Ghosn admitted this year that the automaker would fall short of its 20,000-unit goal for 2012; through the first 11 months of the year, Nissan sold just 8330 Leaf hatchbacks. To help boost sales, Nissan will most likely roll out an updated 2013 model at the Detroit show in January, following the debut of a cheaper Leaf variant in Japan earlier this fall.

Currently, the 2012 Nissan Leaf retails at $36,050 for the base SV or $38,100 for the up-level Leaf SL, including destination but excluding any government rebates. With the heavy discount NMAC is offering, that brings the Leaf's base price down to just $26,275; with federal rebates around $5-7000, a buyer could theoretically get a brand-new 2012 Leaf for under $20,000.